The Best Franchises in the World in 2026 (and Where Tutoring Fits)

Every year two lists dominate the conversation about the best franchises in the world: Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and the Franchise Times Top 400. Both are useful. Neither tells you which is the best franchise to buy for your money, your skills and your life. One measures the overall strength of the franchisor; the other measures sheer size. The brands at the top are mostly burger chains, convenience stores and hotels, which is informative, but a top-ranked brand with a seven-figure entry price and no open territory near you is not an opportunity.

This article summarises what the 2026 rankings actually say, explains what they measure, sets out the questions that matter more than rank, and then makes the case, honestly and with its limits, for education and tutoring franchises within that landscape. We are a tutoring franchisor, so read our view with that in mind; the ranking data is from the publishers, not from us.

The best franchises in the world: what the 2026 rankings say

Entrepreneur Franchise 500 (2026)

Entrepreneur's 47th annual Franchise 500, published in January 2026, ranked Jersey Mike's Subs No. 1, up from No. 2 the year before, with 2025's leader Taco Bell in second place (as reported by NJBIZ). The rest of the top ten, according to the same coverage:

1. Jersey Mike's Subs
2. Taco Bell
3. Dunkin'
4. Ace Hardware
5. Kumon
6. Wingstop
7. The UPS Store
8. Hampton by Hilton
9. Culver's
10. McDonald's

Two things stand out. First, food dominates, but not exclusively: hardware retail, shipping and business services, hotels and education all appear in the top ten. Second, the only education brand in the top ten is a tutoring franchise. Kumon's fifth place was confirmed by Entrepreneur's own January 2026 coverage, and Kumon North America reported 60 new centre openings across North America in 2025.

How it is measured. Entrepreneur says it scores franchisors on more than 150 data points across five pillars: costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. To qualify, a franchisor needs at least 10 units, at least one of them in the US, and must be seeking new US franchisees. Entrepreneur notes that it does not measure subjective elements such as franchisee satisfaction. In other words, it is a ranking of franchisor strength as a US system, not a ranking of franchisee returns.

Franchise Times Top 400 (2025 and 2026)

The Franchise Times Top 400 ranks brands by global systemwide sales. In the 2025 edition, which covered 2024 sales, McDonald's ranked No. 1 with about US$130.7 billion across 43,477 locations, and the top five (McDonald's, 7-Eleven, KFC, Burger King and Ace Hardware) combined for US$314.3 billion, according to Franchise Times.

The 2026 edition was released on 30 September 2026. As reported by L'Express Franchise, it again places McDonald's first, with about US$139.4 billion in global systemwide sales across 45,356 locations, followed by 7-Eleven (about US$104.9 billion across 86,939 locations, the largest unit count on the list), KFC (about US$36.4 billion) and Burger King (about US$29.4 billion). We could not check these figures on the Franchise Times site at the time of writing, so treat them as reported.

Education brands appear further down the list. In the 2025 Top 400, Franchise Times listed Kumon with global sales of approximately US$630 million across 25,689 units, Sylvan Learning with 549 units, Huntington Learning Center with 256 US units, Kiddie Academy with 345 US units, and Code Ninjas with 336 units.

How it is measured. By sales and units only. Franchise Times draws on figures provided by brands or verified against disclosure documents and public filings. Size tells you about brand power and system stability. It tells you nothing about what one franchisee earns, what it costs to join, or whether territory is available.

The franchise economy in context

The International Franchise Association's 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook, prepared by FRANdata, projects about 845,000 franchised establishments in the US in 2026, output of around US$921 billion and close to 8.9 million jobs, with more than 12,000 new franchised units opening. In Australia, the Franchise Council of Australia's State of Franchise report estimated the sector at A$174 billion in turnover across 1,267 systems (June 2023 survey). Franchising is a mainstream route to business ownership in both countries.

What rankings don't tell you about the best franchise to buy

A ranking answers "which franchisors are strongest?" You need to answer "which business should I own?" Those are different questions. Before you shortlist any brand, test it against these factors.

• Total investment and your capital. Many top-ranked food and hotel brands require substantial liquid capital and net worth, and some only sell multi-unit development deals. Franchise Times listed a Kiddie Academy investment range of about US$405,000 to US$915,000 in its 2025 profile, and Goddard School ranges quoted in directories approach or exceed US$1 million for a leased site. An education franchise is not automatically cheap either; read every brand's disclosure.
• Territory availability. The most famous brands are often the most saturated. Ask exactly which territories are open near you.
• Operating hours and lifestyle. Breakfast, late-night and seven-day trading suit some owners and exhaust others.
• Staffing. How many staff, how skilled, and how hard to recruit and keep in your area?
• Inventory and waste. Perishable stock adds cost and complexity.
• Revenue model. One-off transactions versus recurring relationships change how predictable your income is.
• Disclosed performance. In the US, read Item 19 of the FDD where provided; elsewhere, ask for the equivalent and speak to franchisees.
• Fit with you. The best franchise to buy is one you will enjoy leading in five years' time.

The case for education franchises

Education is a small slice of franchising by sales, but it has characteristics that many larger categories do not. Here is the case, along with the honest caveats.

Recurring, long-lived customer relationships

A family that enrols a child in tutoring often stays for years, especially in a membership model. Compare that with a quick-service restaurant, where the business must win the customer again every visit. In a membership-based tutoring franchise, revenue is billed regularly and the centre's focus shifts to retention and results.

No perishable stock

Tutoring centres sell expertise and time. There is no food waste, no cold chain and limited inventory, which simplifies operations and reduces one category of cost.

Daytime and after-school hours

Most tutoring happens after school and on weekends. There are no breakfast shifts or late-night closes. That is not "part time" (the after-school window is intense), but it suits owners who want a predictable schedule.

Demand tied to outcomes families care about

Tutoring demand is tied to school results, entrance exams and university admissions, not to discretionary treats. The Sutton Trust's Private Tutoring 2026 report found that 29 per cent of secondary pupils in England and Wales have had private tutoring, up from 18 per cent when it began tracking. Kumon's position in the Franchise 500 top ten is one sign that the category's fundamentals are recognised.

Purpose

Many franchise partners who choose tutoring say the reason is that they want work that matters. Watching a child go from struggling to confident is a different kind of business reward. Our franchise stories show what that looks like in practice.

The honest caveats

• People are the product. Tutor quality makes or breaks a centre, so recruitment and training are constant work.
• Smaller absolute scale. A tutoring centre will not match the sales of a busy drive-through; the economics depend on margins and retention rather than volume.
• School calendar seasonality. Holidays and exam periods create peaks and troughs that need planning.
• Reputation is local and fast. Parents talk. Consistent results matter more than marketing.

For the economics in detail, read why invest in tutoring and is a tutoring franchise profitable?

Tutoring franchise vs other popular franchise types

If you are deciding between categories rather than brands, our head-to-head guides compare a tutoring franchise with the most common alternatives on set-up cost, staffing, hours, margins and resilience:

• Tutoring franchise vs food franchise: perishables, labour intensity and trading hours.
• Tutoring franchise vs coffee franchise: early starts, foot traffic and margins per transaction.
• Tutoring franchise vs gym franchise: memberships in both, but very different churn and equipment costs.
• Tutoring franchise vs childcare franchise: regulation, capital intensity and staffing ratios.
• Tutoring franchise vs cleaning franchise: low-cost entry against a community-facing asset.

Within education, our guide to the best education franchises compares tutoring with STEM, early learning, languages and enrichment, and the best tutoring franchises in the world profiles the major tutoring brands.

Where Success Tutoring fits

Success Tutoring is a K-12 tutoring franchise founded in Sydney in 2017 by Michael Black and franchising since around 2020. It runs retail-style learning centres where families join as members for English and Mathematics. Centres have opened with 45, 55, 60 and more than 70 members signed before opening day, according to company news posts, because launch pre-marketing starts well before the doors open.

Franchise Executives reported 35 Australian centres with a launch schedule for 80 more in 2023, and the company has announced expansion into New Zealand, the United States, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and India. Partners receive site selection, leasing and fit-out support, tutor recruitment and training, curriculum, launch support and ongoing marketing, and deal directly with head office. Owners do not need to be teachers. Success Tutoring is a member of the Franchise Council of Australia and the International Franchise Association.

We do not publish fees or earnings in articles. Our investment schedule and potential earnings pages set out the numbers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the No. 1 franchise in the world?

It depends on the ranking. Jersey Mike's Subs was No. 1 on Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500, which scores franchisor strength. McDonald's is No. 1 on the Franchise Times Top 400, which ranks global systemwide sales. Neither ranking measures what an individual franchisee earns.

What is the best franchise to buy in 2026?

The one that fits your capital, skills, preferred hours and local market, and that has an open territory near you with a franchisor that supports its partners well. Use rankings to build a long list, then use disclosure documents and franchisee conversations to narrow it.

Is an education franchise a good investment?

Education franchises offer recurring customer relationships, no perishable stock and demand tied to school outcomes. Kumon ranked No. 5 on Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500. The trade-offs are that staff quality is central and the school calendar creates seasonality. Read our tutoring franchise guide for the full picture.

Are franchise rankings reliable?

They are reliable for what they measure: Entrepreneur for franchisor strength across 150-plus data points, Franchise Times for system size. They are not a substitute for due diligence on your specific territory and agreement.

Which franchises are cheapest to start?

Home-based and mobile service franchises usually have the lowest entry costs because they have no premises. In tutoring, in-home models such as Club Z! report total investment from about US$41,000 (2026 FDD via SharpSheets). Centre-based models cost more but build a visible, saleable asset. See how much a tutoring franchise costs.

Next steps

Rankings are a starting point. If a membership-based education business with recurring revenue, after-school hours and purpose appeals to you, start with why us to see how Success Tutoring supports franchise partners, then read what the process looks like.

All third-party trademarks belong to their respective owners. Figures about other franchises are taken from their public websites, disclosure documents or reputable franchise directories at the time of writing and may have changed; verify them directly before making any decision. This article is general information, not financial or legal advice.